Norman Boeschen says the residents of Oxford may not know him very well, but everyone seems to recognize his purebred Leonberger dog named Cyder.
Boeschen and Cyder, who weighs in at 150, travel the roads of Oxford volunteering their time and bringing high spirits to New York State Veterans’ Home residents and staff. They also help children learn to read with the BC Paws to Read program, offered to third and fourth graders. The program is designed to bring dogs into classrooms and lets children read aloud to them without feeling criticism or pressure from reading to other students. The program has helped numerous children build self-esteem and confidence in their reading.
Moving to the Oxford area four and a half years ago, Boeschen says he thought taking Cyder to dog obedience school and dog therapy classes was a great idea and getting the dog trained to do a good deed seemed to be a good way to give back to the community.
Originally from Long Island, Boeschen says he always was an avid outdoorsman and traveled upstate to his camp in Laurens a few times a year, often with other friends from downstate. After retiring from Nynex, now Verizon, he says he left the workforce young, but knew it was the right choice for him. Boeschen had been diagnosed with cancer and says spending time working wasn’t worth it – he wanted to relax and enjoy his time, saying you never know when your last day will be.
He worked as a manager in the technical department in a building across from the World Trade Center in Manhattan for 30 years and said he was ready to move on. Retiring in 1994, Boeschen didn’t take much time to decide where he was going to go. He headed north, back to Laurens, cancer- and care-free, and decided to live there year-round on his 240 acres.
After some time, Boeschen decided he needed something different and something bigger, especially for his pets. He had always had a strong love for dogs and excluding the one smaller dog he had as a child, he had always owned dogs that looked a little more like bears. He has had a Saint Bernard and a Newfoundland and now favors Leonbergers.
By the time Boeschen sold his acreage in Laurens and began his search for the log cabin he had always wanted, his loyal companion Cooper, the first Leonberger Boeschen brought from Michigan, was bigger than most dogs.
“I got him when he was about 8 weeks old, and he was already 21 pounds,” he said.
Cooper was trained as a therapy dog, and Boeschen would take him as far as Manhattan to visit care facilities. At first he says he felt bad, because after bringing the dog in and seeing the response from the residents, he often felt he got more out of the visit than the residents did.
“It is a great feeling to go into a place where everyone is real quiet and does not seem to notice you’re there and when it’s time to go, everyone is smiling and laughing,” he said.
After some time Boeschen bought another purebred Leonberger – his current traveling companion, Cyder.
“We both miss Cooper. I know Cyder does. He grew up with Cooper and I can tell he misses his friend. He isn’t used to being the only one here,” Boeschen said. “Maybe in the spring I will be ready to get another one. They are like my children.”
He says not having his own family is his biggest regret, but having the dogs has been the highlight of his days, and they mean a great deal to him.
“The dogs are big, but they don’t have an ounce of meanness in them. They are just very friendly and always want to play,” he said.
Boeschen explains he finds the reading program very beneficial for the students, and throughout the year he can identify the children who are making progress, and he prides himself knowing that his dog may have played a role in that. Boeschen and Cyder walk the elementary halls every Wednesday morning and say they love it.
“I love it, he loves it, and I know the kids love it. The best thing about the program is that Cyder listens without judgment and negativity. Dogs don’t laugh when children need extra help with the words,” Boeschen said.
Both Cooper and Cyder were recently honored for the Leonberger’s therapy dog award for providing over 50 visits. The award was given to Cooper, although he is no longer here, and to Cyder by the Leonberger Corporation of America.

Editor’s Note: People in the Chenango community perform extraordinary feats under extraordinary circumstances every day. Oftentimes they go unnoticed or unappreciated; “Chenango Stories” puts the spotlight on those people whose compelling stories you might not otherwise hear. If you know someone who is interested in telling their “Chenango Story,” contact Jill Osterhout at 337-3075 or e-mail: josterhout@evesun.com.